The Daimyo's Concubine
by lost frequencies
Summary: A killer's left a gruesome calling card at a murder scene. Raph suspects his family might be next on the list. While trouble brews on the surface, Leo's torn between two worlds as he's summoned to protect a dying Daimyo from an inevitable curse.
1. Ve

A/N: The following story includes a combination of 'verses from the Mirage/Archie comics and is loosely based on the 2003 cartoon series' Battle Nexus story arc, after the Daimyo's son (Ve) had been "reincarnated" with the help of the Time Sceptre and the War Staff. Progressing chapters will be rated M for violence, coarse language and sexual situations.

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Prologue

"_We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell." – Oscar Wilde_

The castle was as ancient as time, its walls like inanimate guardians harbouring tales of murder, sex and vengeance. Replaced by an unnerving sense of quiet was the sanctity of home that had been for many centuries, a luxurious nest to the ninjutsu masters of a revered tengu bloodline.

Shoji doors had been slid shut, shunning warmth and sunlight.

Never had Leonardo seen a place so abandoned by grief that as he walked past the majestic jade pillars and across the vast parquet floor in the main court, the only sound he could hear in the emptiness was his own breathing.

Had the tengu daimyo been alive, the triennial tournament would not have ended. His world would have been filled with rowdy visitors from all over the universe but now it seemed bereft of life and the air was reeking of dark magic and treachery.

Leonardo withdrew his weapons, steel blades as cold as death swung dangerously in the direction of an ominous cackle. "Show yourself!" he bellowed fiercely, his voice reverberating like a burst of life in the deadened atmosphere.

"Now that is no way to greet your queen," replied a voice from behind. Turning to look, he then noticed the slender form of a woman dressed in a silk kimono, lounging seductively on her dead husband's throne. She resembled that of a tired geisha, her youthful beauty unsurpassed, as striking as her unkempt raven hair and scarlet lips.

"You are neither queen, nor do you deserve my respect after everything you've done."

"Oh, Leonardo," she said, chuckling wryly at him. "You have no idea how much I've missed you." The lonely queen sat up from the throne, now walking on bare feet towards the estranged warrior. She let the sleeves of her kimono hang loosely below her shoulders. "It's been so long since we last shared a moment as intimate as now. And I know how much you've enjoyed me before."

The woman circled him, brushing her bare skin against his.

"What have you done to the daimyo's son?" Leonardo asked in a quiet yet menacing tone of voice.

"Why do you care so much about that ungrateful bastard? After all, he's been nothing but a threat to you and your family." She stopped to meet the turtle's narrowed gaze before whispering into his ear, "Innocence is the mask he wears. There's nothing you could do to stop a soul destined for evil."

Leonardo stood trembling with hands clenched tightly around his weapons. He could feel his heart pounding, suffocating under her spell again.

"My brother risked his life to find him," he seethed.

"Oh, my poor Leonardo." The queen smiled remorselessly while completely disregarding every bit of pain within the young warrior's grief-stricken soul. She edged closer to his face, eyes growing heavy with lust as she parted her lips slightly and whispered, "I am truly sorry."

* * *

Chapter 1  
Ve

_Two centuries old, the daimyo's son was said to be a warrior in his prime, trained in the ways of his ancestors who had bred with humans and non-humans of various dimensions alike. He was half man, half Tengu; a prince who was far from motivated to share the weight of his father's responsibilities. The old daimyo's kingdom became his royal playground and the beautiful female slaves were the comfort he sought almost every night._

_Some nights he would sleep with more than one servant, but a night such as this had superseded all of his other lustful escapades. For Ayu, the daimyo's most favoured concubine, was his forbidden pearl. She would come and go like the onshore breeze. And each time she appeared, her sensual demeanour would send an inevitable shiver throughout his body. Her touch, her enveloping warmth could set fire to his beating heart, shrivelling and scattering it like ashes blown away from the palm of her hand. He would be so lost in her beauty that he could see death in her eyes. As always, he would disregard it. He knew that Ayu was indeed a bearer of bad news though it seemed impossible to deny his feelings for her._

_"Ve-sama," Ayu called out to him breathlessly. Their bodies lay close, heaving in orgasmic delight beneath the silk covers embroidered with gold and silver. The prince's eyes cracked open slightly to meet her doe-eyed gaze before closing again. He pressed his lips against hers but she pulled herself away immediately, whispering sharply, "Please—I must leave now."_

_His heart ached at the thought of losing her body again. "Come with me to the mountains," he begged. "Where we can live freely and not be discreet about our love."_

_"Nothing good has ever come from us being together," his lover reminded him. She slipped away from his embrace, her bare back facing him as she sat on the edge of the bed. "If your father sees us together again, you will never be king. And I do not wish to spend the rest of my life in the dungeon."_

_"Of course not," he sighed defeatedly as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "My only wish is to make you mine."_

_A sad smile crept across Ayu's face. "Still I am nothing but a lowly concubine. Is it not my duty to serve him? I cannot change that."_

_"You are more than that to me!" insisted the prince with passionate fiery. "I cherish you more than any other soul. I will do everything in my power to keep you in harm's way."_

_Tears continued to spread, moistening her fair cheeks. _

_"And I shall make you my queen," he said, while cupping her face. As he stared deeply into her eyes, he caught yet another glimpse of a daunting future. He saw his condemned self being turned into stone, crumbling beneath a divine light. _

_Still he promised her, "For eternity."_

_--_

"Ungrateful bastard!" the queen spat angrily before giving two forceful slaps on both sides of his face and inevitably forcing Ve to his knees. "Haven't we provided you enough? Still you seek the company of those dirty peasant children. They are diseased! I told you never to leave the castle's premise without my permission!"

The youthful return of the daimyo's son was an act of mercy bestowed by the ever-expanding universe. Lord Simultaneous merely did what he was commanded to do and had been assigned to be the boy's guardian. But while Ue was being punished by his stepmother in his bedroom, the wielder of the Time Sceptre saw no means to intervene.

Ve shot an unforgiving glare at the queen. He didn't care if the peasant children were diseased. He would rather die than be confined in his royal prison. He noticed the look in her eyes. _Those eyes..._that were once foretelling had become reluctant keepers of his past regrets. Regrets that seemed hauntingly familiar though his renewed innocence had kept him from remembering the life he once lived.

"Queen Ayu," called a servant's voice from the entrance of the room. "The _daimyo_ seeks your presence at the main court. Hamato Yoshi has arrived—along with his son, Leonardo."

Ve remained bitterly silent. He let the blood trickle at the corner of his mouth as he slowly turned to look at the one standing at the door.

"Get him cleaned," the queen told her servant while looking down arrogantly at the boy. "I don't want his father to see him like this."

Straightening her royal garb, she strode out of the room and left the servant to deal with the stubborn young prince.

"Come, Master," said the servant, coaxing Ve to get to his feet. "We must get you ready for the celebration."

--

During a time of hardship and sacrifice, longer before he was destined to meet his children, Splinter had journeyed halfway across the world as an exiled pilgrim in search of a place for his heart.

He had hiked up the rocky terrains of Mount Fuji, trudged fearlessly in the Himalayan blizzard and felt the ocean waves embracing his feet along the shores of various continents. That was how he stumbled upon the ageless realm of the Nexus. A world that made him the person he was, and would always be: a champion.

"Those were the best years of my life," said the old rat to Leonardo, as they explored the vast sports hall of past contenders. Then he stopped, the smile on his face turned bittersweet. Standing before them was a life-sized granite sculpture of his former human self.

"Do you miss—" Leonardo asked, hesitating slightly before continuing, "being human?"

Gleaming black eyes turned to meet the young turtle's questioning gaze.

"Not anymore."

They left the hall, never uttering a single word to each other after that.

Both became equally immersed in deep thought while making their way towards the daimyo's castle beneath the celestial sky, where portals as bright as stars, vanished and reappeared in lightning speed. Ships from in-between realms and faraway galaxies were cruising in across the dark canvas of night before making their graceful descent onto the gleaming ocean waters. Waves crashed joyously onto the shore to announce their long-awaited arrival.

The daimyo was already waiting by the castle's entrance, looking mightily tall beside his wife, Ayu, who was wearing a veil over her face. With only her smiling lips exposed, the queen was completely covered in red from head to toe. Their son, Ve, who seemed less than welcoming, had his hands tucked behind his back while staring suspiciously at their approaching guests.

"It brings me so much joy to see you and your son again, old friend," greeted the tengu daimyo while exchanging bows with Splinter and his son.

"Great to see you in good health and in high spirits, most revered one," replied the old rat.

The daimyo invited them in and called to his wife to escort Leonardo to the main court. "Our guests will surely be delighted to meet the son of Hamato Yoshi," he said.

"As you wish, my Lord," the veiled queen obliged, coaxing Leonardo towards the stairs.

"Master Splinter? Aren't you coming?"

"The daimyo had asked to have a word with me," answered the old rat.

_No._ There was no way Splinter was going to leave him with Ve and his veil-wearing stepmother. "But—"

Seeing that his father had left in the other direction with the rat, Ve cried out to him, "Where are you going?"

The daimyo merely smiled and waved sadly to his son within the confines of his teleportation orb. It vanished instantaneously, sinking fast into the ground along with the daimyo and Splinter.

"Father! Take me with you!"

"Ve, please! Leave him be," said the queen, tugging the child at the sleeve. "Your father has important matters to attend to."

The young prince immediately pulled himself away from her. "I would rather _die _than be stuck with _you_!"

After a menacing pause, the queen spoke again, "Leonardo. Please tell this child to watch what he says to his mother..."

But like the prince, Leo too wondered where the daimyo went with his father.

"I can say and do whatever I please," demanded Ve. "_I_ am the Prince, the royal blood of this family. And _you_ are not my mother! You are nothing but a two-headed serpent!"

His words, like poison, echoed loudly throughout the hallway. All eyes turned to look at Queen Ayu and the young prince while Leo stood frozen with embarrassment in the middle as they argued.

"If you are to insult me in front of my guests," she quivered while trying hard to suppress the anger within, "you shall have nothing to eat until I hear an apology!"

"Then I'll starve! I don't care! I will never apologise to a _whore_ like you. I hate you." The prince shot a venomous glare at their bewildered guests. _"_I hate _all of you!_" he yelled, before storming off down the corridor.

While concerned about Ve's dire need to be with his father, Leonardo immediately suggested, "I can help him find his father while you entertain your guests."

"No," answered Queen Ayu solemnly. "Let him be. No matter how much time has passed, some things will never change. He will always come back."


	2. Fragile God

Chapter 2  
Fragile God

Since the time when Ve had perished along with Drako, the daimyo vowed never to resurface from his loss. He was willing to wait for eternity within the dark solitary confines of his castle and would at times seek the company of samurai ghosts, their voices like demonic whispers wafting in and out of his mind. Then he would feel her—the one who had caused him to speak, to let the words pass through his whimpering lips—kneeling with him and pressing her warm lips against his forehead. He would raise his face to meet with hers, eyes ever-flowing with tears. Then he would see Ve, his young son, treasured within the glint of her foretelling eyes. There was hope, he thought, in the eyes of the angel of death.

Never had the daimyo expected for that day to come when he would make Ayu, the lowly concubine, his queen and have Ve, wide-eyed and reborn, asleep in his arms again. His heart brimmed with joy, despite noticing the disappointment in Lord Simultaneous' face.

They had made a promise to each other that day. Surely, Ve's return hadn't come without a price.

All he needed now was a chance to be away from it all: his people, his kingdom, this never-ending responsibility over unresolved conflicts. The weight of the world was growing too much for an old god. So he had given his young queen the freedom to reign over tonight's festivity. Let the people rejoice in his absence. Let the people feast in his sadness. Let it all be, while he drifted far from it all. Let him be.

_For luck and prosperity, my love_, the voice of the queen followed into the depths of his wandering mind.

His forlorn gaze rested on the transparent walls of his spherical sanctuary, as though he was pleading to be engulfed by the ocean waves. The _beshimi_ mask, once a powerful disguise fit to be worn only by gods, threatened to slip through his unrequited fingers. Its protruding eyes and clenched teeth no longer bore symbolisms of power and control.

The daimyo was done. Old and tired. Miserable.

Splinter had been waiting patiently for the brooding god to speak until finally, the daimyo broke his gaze from the darkness and said, "If you had the power to build a world of your own, what would it be?"

"Perhaps a world in which we would never have to hide away from," answered the concerned rat. He then wondered why the daimyo had asked such a question.

"What you see of this world, is the artwork of my imagination. My dreams," he explained. "But some day, when I am dead, this world shall cease to exist. Invisible pillars will crumble, the heavens will be torn apart, the earth will shatter and every servant of mine shall perish along with me. For I, old friend, have given up my—immortality."

Splinter raised his eyes, shadows casting over the aging face of disbelief.

"How do you raise four, honourable children, while I, a tengu, Lord of the Nexus could hardly keep up with one? Oh, Yoshi-sama, how I envy you. You are so much stronger than I am!"

The old rat flinched at the very mention of his real name. It never failed to remind him of a dreaded past. A victim of circumstance, he become the splinter embedded in Yoshi's human flesh, poisoning his blood with the longing for vengeance.

_Revenge is like a splinter that poisons the blood..._

After eighteen long years, the words of his foster father still echoed in his mind.

_I am the splinter. _

The rat's eyes grew warm with tears, yet he prevailed.

"It's never easy raising a family, my Lord."

"Please," pleaded the daimyo. "Do not address me as your Lord. I am no longer the god you seek. So frail, and useless..."

They drifted over the beach, where Ve stood waiting like a ghost by the shore.

"I beg of you, old friend," said the daimyo, "to guide Ve after I'm gone. You are the only one I trust. And I know you will be a better teacher than I could ever be to my own son."

_Father! Father!_ The voice of his son echoed within the walls of the floating orb. _Please come back!_

Their feet finally touched the white sands. The daimyo's son came sprinting towards them, throwing himself completely into his father's embrace.

"Please don't leave me again," cried Ve. "I have missed you terribly."

"Oh, Ve," chuckled the daimyo as he scooped the boy into his massive arms. "How could I ever leave you? You are my only son. And I am always here for you."

With arms wrapped tightly around his father's neck, Ue looked at him and smiled. "For eternity?"

"For eternity," said the old god, as he lied through his teeth.

Distant planets above them huddled closer to watch over the dying world of the Nexus. Palm trees swayed submissively in the breeze.

Splinter closed his eyes and stood quietly by the shore while the daimyo walked along the stretch of glittering white sand with his young son.

Wrapping the tattered kimono robe tightly around him, he raised his face towards the sky, toes curling into the sand as the cold waves invited him in. He waded into the ocean, knee-deep. This was it. This was where Yoshi had once stood.

Time grew still. The waves continued to sing.

_I am Yoshi. Hamato Yoshi._

And for that night, as tears of past regrets ran down his face, he too, felt reborn.


	3. Levels of Morality

Chapter 3  
Levels of Morality

_"Kneel," said the Master to his student._

_The student dropped obediently and lowered his head before his teacher. Heart pounding, breathing deep yet steady. Still recovering from injuries earned from their first battle with the Purple Dragons, Raphael had deemed it the best night of his life. He was hoping to see more of that world—the taste and feel of the city air, the freedom._

_He was thirteen. Accustomed to a life shaped by the art of stealth. Trained to recognise and overcome every aspect of fear. Knowing and questioning everything in mind, body and soul. _

_Nothing slips from his awareness as he becomes one with the shadows._

_Ninja._

_"It is time to put your training to the test," said the teacher. "But fear not, for I shall be there to guide you in spirit. You are to deliver my message of challenge_ _to Oroku Saki—our most powerful adversary yet."_

_Those words, like fuel for his blazing soul. He lifted his gaze, eyes wild with anticipation. _

_The teacher then handed over the piece of paper to his student. "Wrap this around your sai," he said. "So you may leave it as your calling card. Do what it takes to complete your task. Kill when you must."_

_"Yes, Master." The student rose to his feet. A proud smirk etched across his face for he had been given his ticket to freedom that night._

_The heavy scent of incense continued to plague the air like wandering spirits of the dead. Their voices blew over the candles, causing the light to flicker with the call of vengeance in the dark._

_"Now, go," commanded the sullen voice of his Master._

_Clutching the weapon in his hand, the young ninja bowed deeply and faded away._

* * *

The outside world was as real as the overnight stench of death under his nose.

Peering through the blinds, Raphael saw only a city drenched in misery, deafened by the drunken cries of the homeless, police sirens and the incessant honking of vehicles stuck in traffic.

An old man in a ragged suit stood high and lofty with arms outstretched on a soapbox amidst the sea of umbrellas. He had his head tilted back in deep imploration, the rain hitting hard on his skin. Brooding faces in the crowd looked on in disbelief as they jostled against each other towards a way out of the claustrophobic madness.

Feeling a sudden tingling spreading across the back of his neck, he broke his gaze away from the distractions of the city and stared blankly into the darkness. He could sense it—the ghost of an enemy lurking close within the apartment. The Police had taped off the place the night before but that hadn't deterred him from trespassing. After watching the news this afternoon, Raphael had thought there might be a connection to the recent warehouse killing on the lower east side. Curious, he began searching for clues.

The white light of his torch scanned the interior and swept across the green carpeted floor littered with pornographic materials, piles of dirty clothing, empty beer cans and used syringes. He rummaged through another useless mess on the coffee table before noticing a black notebook hidden between newspapers. Taking the notebook with him, the lone mutant then carried on with his investigation, walking silently down the corridor before coming to a halt by the bedroom door.

As the light poured in to reveal its ghastly secret, his masked eyes grew wide with shock. It looked as if a maniacal artist had painted a masterpiece over the dilapidating canvas of a room, with blood—_so much blood_—strewn all over the walls, sheets, furniture and floor.

Raphael furrowed deeply, trying hard to decipher the patterns until he noticed a turtle-like shape spread across the bed sheets.

Two, as his eyes scanned up the wall.

Three.

Four.

The flash light dropped.

"What the—"

He backed away in trepidation as the bloody image slowly seeped into his consciousness: four turtles—impaled by a single sword, staring back at him with its stark reminder of vengeance.

"This can't be happening."

But it was already too late.

The past had returned to haunt them all over again.

* * *

While most of Queen Ayu's guests had succumbed to inebriation, Leonardo slunk towards the balcony where the repetitive sounds of _taiko_ drums boomed and trembled beneath his feet. He was looking out over the arena to watch a group of demon-masked warriors in the midst of performing a ritualistic sword dance. Noticing the familiarity in their choreographed movements, he smiled nostalgically at the times he and his brothers had spent learning the exact same moves with their _bokken_ during _kata_ practice.

Life was harsh yet much sweeter back then, he thought, while sipping _sake_ from a bamboo cup that was offered to him by a servant since he first stepped into the court.

Just a few feet away from where he stood, a group of anthropomorphic females, all dressed in their traditional garbs, were giggling and whispering amongst themselves. Casting a furtive glance in their direction, he couldn't help but be awed by their elegance and wondered what it would have been like if he could just pluck up the courage to speak to one of them.

But that would be too much of a challenge for someone like him, Leonardo would say. Better to be immersed in the presence of otherworldly beauty than having to listen to the mindless chatter of drunken warriors at the table. He stifled a yawn, suddenly realising how tired he was and wishing his father would have returned sooner with the Daimyo.

The drumming ended with a loud boom, followed by a celebratory burst of fireworks in the night sky. Guests were now flocking towards the balcony with their cups raised, cheering and dancing in commemoration of a glorious night. The Queen, however, was nowhere to be seen. In fact none of their royal hosts had been present throughout the feast.

Leonardo attempted to push his way through the crowd but was immediately shoved back in by an invisible force. He stumbled backwards into an unsuspecting group of burly warriors, the look of bewilderment etched on his face as they laughed at the _kame_ whom they assumed had had too much to drink.

"Ah, Leonardo! Son of the Great Hamato Yoshi," greeted one of the guests, a former contender whom he vaguely recognised. "The wine is cold and the night is still young!"

"I wasn't drunk to begin with," said Leonardo, who lay sprawled across the floor.

Then it felt as though time was speeding up as his vision began to blur with the memory of joyful faces in the crowd melting in despair.

His eyes darted from side to side, noticing an abrupt change in the atmosphere. The friendly face of the former contender warped ominously before finally revealing itself as the ghost of Drako. Leonardo tried to move but had been hopelessly pinned down. The dragon rose from the ashes and towered over the turtle as he spoke with a demonic rumble, "Rise, young _kappa. _Enjoy the pleasures that await you!"

Leonardo let out a wordless cry as a demon's arm emerged suddenly from out of the void between his legs. Sharp nails raked down along the roughness of the turtle's plastron before edging closer to wrap its scaly fingers firmly around his tail. He tilted his head back with eyes tightly shut, mind and heart racing madly at the feel of its ministrations. His own body was defying every command to move as he lay paralysed beneath the weight of the unseen—stroking and sucking him persistently.

He could feel it straddling him, keeping his legs wide apart while he struggled and pleaded and struggled...until it became too much to bear and he shook violently as the sensations of orgasm began to soar throughout his body.

At the demon's release, Leonardo awoke with a delayed cry of protest and sat up to glance around frantically. After realising that it had all been a dream, he leaned heavily against the wall of his room, face cringing slightly at the feel of his own bodily fluid soaking through the sheets between his thighs.

It was already past four when he had forced himself out of bed earlier than usual. After a quick shower, he would spend the early morning cleansing his chakras through meditation in the dojo. Raphael would be home any minute. And they would meet in the kitchen to talk, until it was time to wake their brothers for training.

This was normal, he thought. The nightmares.

In the stillness of the dojo, he could hear Raphael closing the refrigerator door.

Leonardo rose to his feet.

The smell of beer lingered in the air as he entered the kitchen to see Raphael slumped in his chair, falling deep in thought.

Their eyes met.

"Morning," Leonardo greeted his brother.

* * *

All this travelling across time and space while passing through realms and alternate dimensions was making his head spin.

Lord Simultaneous groaned as he pinched the skin between his eyes. He should have left a job like this to someone else so he could spend more time nursing a migraine in the comforts of null-time. But this wasn't something he could easily hand over to some inexperienced apprentice. In its crumbling state, the Nexus realm was in desperate need of a stronger presence of authority.

His half-lidded gaze hovered around the court as the morning light poured in to cast a sickly glow on lifeless bodies sprawled across the floor. It had been a ceremonious feast turned tragically wrong. All thanks to Queen Ayu who had succeeded in poisoning everyone else except for her two most cherished guests: Hamato Yoshi and his son, Leonardo.

Was it fate when Splinter, the Daimyo, and his son had all been absent throughout the feast? Was it fate that made Leonardo all wary and hesitant to do anything without the assured presence of his father? The turtle barely even touched his food, except for one cup of _sake_ that was given to him by none other than Lord Simultaneous himself, disguised as a servant.

He managed to crack a victorious smile beneath the weight of his oversized headdress, before going back to squeezing his eyes shut to massage on that nagging pain again. Things had all gone according to plan, so why was this migraine still bugging him?

"How dare you deceive me," said the Queen, who was without her veil this time, eyes glowing green with rage. She was unkempt, her kimono slipping down her shoulders and nearly exposing her bare breasts. She seemed to have appeared suddenly from out of nowhere, though Lord Simultaneous had sensed her evil presence light years before.

"When I asked to lure them in, I did not mean for you to spare their lives!"

"Boo hoo. Get over it, lady," retorted Lord Simultaneous, while attempting to rub away the migraine between his eyes. He gazed up at Ayu and continued, "I never said this would be easy. But since you managed to convince the Daimyo to open up his world to visitors again, I think you deserve a token for your efforts. So here—" he said, shoving a money pouch into the Queen's hands. "I'm granting you half the share of the Daimyo's immortality."

"What?!" The Queen's voice rumbled deep with anger. "What makes you think that I would be willing to accept only half of his immortality, when I already asked for all of its worth!"

"Well—having half, is better than none. If you wanna be buried alive with the Daimyo, by all means. I'll be happy to get that pouch back, please. Then you can kiss your vengeance against the Hamato Clan goodbye. That would make it _so_ much easier for the both of us. How's _that _for a bargain?"

A low growl escaped her throat as she stepped away with the pouch in her hand.

"Thought so," said Lord Simultaneous with a wry chuckle, before turning his back on her.

The Queen lunged towards him with a _tanto_ which she had kept hidden beneath her silken garb. But Lord Simultaneous was quick to pin her down with just one powerful swipe of the Time Sceptre.

"Let me go!" she demanded, as her eyes turned white in defeat under the blue light of the sceptre.

"How many times have I told you? It is useless to fight against me. But of course, creatures like you will never learn."

The Queen roared monstrously in protest.

Lord Simultaneous narrowed his eyes at her. "I've agreed to be part of this game and I'm determined to play it well," he said sternly. "So keep plotting, sweetheart. And I'll keep plotting against _you_."

Then he was gone. The castle was slowly returning to its gloomy state while Queen Ayu lay helplessly amongst the dead bodies of her guards, servants and guests.

She was then reminded of that little token he had given her: the pouch of immortality, beating softly like a living heart in her hand.

Useless.

The Daimyo's immortality meant nothing to her when he was already taking such a long time to die.

* * *

"Dying isn't always a bad thing, you know. Maybe you could make yourself useful instead of just moping around, like you have been doing for eternity."

It was his job to be nagging despite how hot it was outside. Lord Simultaneous could hear Ve splashing about in the waters in the background while he stood tall before the hopeless Tengu god leaning miserably against a huge rock at the beach.

"What else is there to be done?" asked the Daimyo. "When I leave, this world leaves with me."

"This may be your world, but also a home to millions of creatures and other life forms you didn't create. And the Nexus has been a vital gateway for alien travellers from all over. Do you seriously think I would let you take everything back of what you've generously shared with the Universe? I can't believe that a god like you can be this selfish."

"I was left with no choice!"

"Oh? You've been given every opportunity to convince your son to take over your throne. He's the only one qualified to be the next Ruler of the Nexus. But look at him now—he's more clueless about his own existence than ever."

"I wish not to put my burden on his young shoulders."

Lord Simultaneous shook his head in disappointment. "You've been saying that since two hundred years ago. Can't you think of a better answer than that already?"

The Daimyo sighed, as he remained uncertain.

"Have you talked to the rat like I told you to?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"He seems...hesitant."

"Gee, I wonder why," said Lord Simultaneous, expressing his usual sarcasm. He then knelt closer, urging the sickly god to look at him. "You have seven days to live, Daimyo. The least I expect of you to do is to address everyone to evacuate the Nexus before time runs out."

"Then what would be of my son and wife?"

"I'll keep them safe, but out of your sight. You need to get your act together and concentrate on the task at hand. I'll be assigning a bodyguard to protect you."

"My guards will protect me."

"Your guards are all dead," he replied instantaneously. "Poisoned."

The Daimyo seemed unfazed by the news, brushing it off as yet another assassination attempt.

"But don't worry," assured the Lord of Time and Space. "I'll take care of it. As always."

* * *

Something about that dream wasn't quite right, so Leonardo thought as he held no recollection of leaving the balcony, neither had he seen his father returning to the castle after spending time with the daimyo that night. All he had seen were fireworks, the warped faces of warriors and their women crowding around him, screaming and laughing and crying simultaneously before vanishing into the darkness, their souls dripping like ink against the whirling backdrop of his mind.

He was seated at the table now, stiff-backed and upright, with a million other thoughts running through his head, half-listening, half-dreaming while Raphael was in the midst of telling his brothers about what he discovered last night. Raph came to a halt beside Michelangelo and dropped the morning paper on the table for everyone to see.

The murder of Travis Rickman, the Purple Dragon infamously known as Dragon-face, whose gruesome death had prompted further speculation on vigilante activities in the city, had once again made headline news with grisly photos of a graffiti symbol painted in blood in his bedroom.

"I don't know, Raph," said Donatello. "Remember how it was like five years ago? Our first fight with the Dragons became somewhat of an urban legend. They've taunted us with messages and graffiti symbols for _years _but have never dared to face us again. Perhaps they're trying on a whole new method by putting Dragon-face out of his misery and leaving something behind to make it look like _we're_ the ones responsible for his murder."

"Then what about that mass slaughter at the warehouse on the lower east side?"

"This is bullshit," Michelangelo muttered suddenly, while skimming through the news columns reporting on the rise of violent crimes committed by overzealous vigilantes. "Not _all_ vigilantes are homicidal maniacs. They have honour too, you know. I can't believe they're holding the Justice Force responsible for—"

"Someone's plannin' to get us killed and all you can think about is the Justice Force? We're nothin' like those vigilante goons. So get over it."

"Goons?" Mike let out a defensive _hmph_ before saying, "Then explain why you've been out and about doing Casey's job. Isn't that a very vigilante-like thing to do? To be snooping around for clues? Trying to find out who's behind it before everyone else does? Makes you feel like a million bucks, doesn't it? To finally have the chance to do _something_ for the greater good."

Don was already sensing the growing tension between the two. "Can we...get back to the discussion, please?"

"You're getting _this_ close to letting me spill the beans about you—_Turtle Titan_," Raph said, whispering through clenched teeth.

Leo slowly shifted his attention to Mike, who was busy glaring daggers at Raph.

Don was beginning to feel out of place in a staring competition amongst brothers until Leo finally broke the silence. "Don?"

"Yes, Leo?" he replied, almost too eagerly, with a tight-lipped smile on his face.

"I need you to check on Splinter. If he isn't busy, let him know that we're in need of his opinion on this matter."

"Alrighty," replied Don, as he moved away from his chair and sauntered out of the kitchen.

"Raph, I need you to leave too."

"Why?"

"Because I say so. Now leave us."

"_Fine,_" Raphael gruffed, as he broke his gaze from Mike's and snatched the paper away from his brother's hands.

As soon as they were left alone, Mike willed himself to look at Leo who was sitting across the table with arms tightly crossed over his chest.

Leo's voice was soft, yet stern. "I'm not letting anyone in until we're done. Now tell me everything."

_Yes, Leo. I've been out fighting crime with the Force, because I'm fucking sick of living this way and I ain't gonna spend my time moping around while waiting for you and Splinter to tell us what we should be doing next._

With eyes closed, Mike sighed defeatedly and slouched deeper into his chair. There was no way he could escape this interrogation without admitting the whole truth about his new-found career.

"It all started two months ago," he began.


	4. Warped Souls ::Part 1::

Chapter 4  
Warped Souls

Leonardo could tell by the exasperated look on his brother's face, his restlessness, sullen grunts and contemptuous eye-rolling that he wasn't about to give up his "childish aspirations" so easily. While Don and Raph were waiting in the living room, Leo argued against comic book politics before making it clear to Mike that his heroic antics could jeopardise the safety of their clan.

Reality was sinking in fast. It pained him to see his brother holding back those tears of frustration. Still he would rather have Mike sulking in his room than dead in some alley in a superhero costume.

His thoughts were slowly coming back to their previous discussion on the graffiti symbols found in Dragon-face's apartment but then he noticed his brother had suddenly stopped fidgeting in his chair.

Leo leant forward as he waved a hand in front of his brother's face. "Michelangelo?"

Mike didn't even flinch when Leo started poking him in the arm. He then stood by the kitchen stove to take a closer look at a motionless cloud of steam over the boiling tea kettle.

A voice came suddenly, causing Leo to jerk in shock before turning sharply to see Lord Simultaneous standing at the end of the table.

"Do you know that there are seven universes out there, with millions of in-between dimensions and seventy-nine realms existing simultaneously in the past, present and future?" he said as he reached for Mike's glass of orange juice on the table.

The Time Lord continued, "I have to make sure that everything goes according to plan while megalomaniacs and lunatics are being kept on a tight leash. Of course, it's impossible to keep them all incapacitated forever. So I let them go, let them do whatever they want until it's time to go back to where they belong. Then we mortals have such a hard time making decisions; so lost and confused and always in need of some "divine intervention" to put us back on the right path before screwing everything up again. Hmph. It's a never-ending cycle, I tell ya."

Leonardo watched as Simultaneous chugged down his drink.

"God I needed that!" he chirped, sliding the empty glass back on the table.

"Why are you here?"

"Because I am. It's time, Leonardo."

Guilt-stricken, Leo turned to look at his brother who was still frozen in time with his eyes glazed over and staring at nothing in particular.

"They don't deserve this."

"But you do?"

"If this is what it takes to keep my family away from her, so be it."

"This isn't just about you and your precious little clan, Leonardo. The fate of the Universe depends on it. I'm telling you now's the time to let it go."

"_No_."

Lord Simultaneous frowned. "You think absorbing the curse is gonna keep Ayu away from Splinter? How gullible can you get? _I'm_ the one who's been keeping her away from your father. _I'm_ the one who keeps this family alive. But do I ever hear a word of thanks? Never!"

"If you're so eager to get rid of him then why haven't you done it?" Leo retorted.

"It takes more than your ninja mentality to question the nature of my job."

"Get out," demanded Leo.

Lord Simultaneous narrowed his eyes at him and said, "I've given the Daimyo his ultimatum. Now I'm giving you yours: spread the curse. Or suffer the consequences."

"_GET OUT_!"

"You have twenty-four hours."

A burst of blue light spread throughout the kitchen, setting everything into motion again.

The kettle shrieked. An insect flew past him. Michelangelo stood up from his chair and left.

Leonardo fell back into his seat, closed his eyes and began taking deep breaths. He felt a sense of relief washed over him at the sound of Mike's door slamming shut.

His brothers were watching the news.

April O'Neil was on television again.

He listened.


End file.
